BNSF alleged to engage in ‘judicial misconduct’

“Over the past decade,” reports the Minneapolis Star Tribune, “court records show [that] judges around the country have disciplined BNSF after finding that the company or its lawyers broke rules aimed at ensuring fair legal proceedings in 13 cases involving [...]

COLA for national rail contract 2011 wages

A cost-of-living adjustment will be made Jan. 1 to UTU-member wages governed by the national rail contract. The amount of the COLA, based on a formula contained in the national rail contract, is three cents per hour. The COLA reflects a low rate of consumer inflation. By cont [...]

BNSF worker dies in Wisconsin accident

SUPERIOR, Wis. — A BNSF employee was killed at a taconite facility Dec. 1, reports the Duluth News-Tribune. Kelly Yadron, 43, “was found pinned between two steel beams beside a conveyer belt,” a Superior fire chief told the newspaper. He was a member of the Transp [...]

FRA safety specialist wins DOT honor

A Federal Railroad Administration safety specialist has been honored with an Excellence Award by the U.S. Department of Transportation for what Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood called “his role in uncovering the widespread failure of a Class I railroad to maintain th [...]

Federal jobless benefits expire for millions

WASHINGTON — Long term federal unemployment benefits expired Dec. 1 for hundreds of thousands of jobless as the lame-duck Congress failed to take action to extend them. Millions more will lose benefits if Congress does not act. Federal unemployment benefits had begun af [...]

Guns on Amtrak? Unloaded & bagged

Amtrak said that effective Dec. 15, it will accept unloaded guns in checked baggage at stations and on trains operating within the United States that offer checked baggage service.  This change in the Amtrak checked baggage policy is required by the Consolidated Appropriation [...]